May 31, 2024

Dear JOHN,

It was great to be back home in Rochester this week to meet with local businesses and organizations, announce new funding to expand senior housing, and recognize some dedicated individuals making a significant impact in our Jewish community.  Read more below.

 Supporting Older Americans 

Too many people lack access to affordable senior housing, resulting in many older members of our community being forced to leave the security of their families, loved ones, doctors, and routines to find housing that fits their needs. I’m working to change that and ensure older Americans can age in place in the communities they love.

On Tuesday, I was joined by Episcopal SeniorLife Communities (ESLC) President and CEO Lisa Marcello and Irondequoit Town Supervisor Andraé Evans to announce $1 million in federal funding I secured in Washington to support the creation of new affordable senior housing units in Irondequoit.

Read more about this transformative project and ESLC’s work in our community: Congressman Joe Morelle Announces $1 Million in New Federal Funding to Support Local Seniors

As we end our celebration of May as Jewish American Heritage Month, I had the privilege of honoring some special individuals who have had a profound impact on our Jewish community.

Since the first Jewish American immigrants arrived in 1654, their contributions have been integral to the fabric of our society—including the likes of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Hall of Fame MLB Pitcher Sandy Koufax, and iconic physicist Albert Einstein.

But it’s the people working behind-the-scenes and out of the spotlight who we sought to honor. Together with local Rabbis from across Rochester, we recognized five individuals whose hard work and selflessness has undoubtedly made our community a better place.

Read more about our honorees: Congressman Joe Morelle Honors Local Members of Jewish Community During Jewish American Heritage Month

I helped secure $99.4 million for the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics this past year to advance their critical work maintaining our nation’s nuclear stockpile, conducting advanced laser research, and pursuing nuclear fusion energy. This morning, I was able to join them for a celebration of their latest expansion and see firsthand how these dollars are being utilized right here in Rochester.

In every beam of light harnessed at the Laser Lab lies our collective journey towards knowledge. I’m proud to continue serving as a strong advocate for the lab in Washington, and I cannot wait to see what they discover next!

It’s always great to visit with some of our local businesses, organizations, and community leaders.

Accessibility should never be an afterthought—especially when it comes to accessing potentially life-saving resources. Today, I was at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT to discuss our joint work to improve access to emergency services and other important programs for our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing neighbors.

It’s disappointing many of these accessibility features are not already commonplace in our country, but NTID continues to serve as a model for how other communities can build themselves up through diversity, innovation, and inclusion. I’m grateful for our years of partnership, and I look forward to our continued work together on these important issues.

On Wednesday, I joined members of the Rochester Border Patrol station to honor Border Patrol's 100th Anniversary and present them with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition.

I'm grateful for everything our Customs and Border Patrol agents do to keep our community and our country safe, and I will continue leveraging my role on the House Appropriations Committee to secure the resources they need to advance their goals.

The Ibero-American Action League works tirelessly to provide opportunities for community engagement, academic support, and social-emotional services for the Latino community in Rochester. It was great to meet with students from their Changemakers group to discuss my continued support for their important mission.